Medical experts visiting north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Friday evaluated the region's severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) prevention and control work as "excellent".

Inner Mongolia contributed to the effective control of SARS in north China due to its excellent work, said a joint working group composed of experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) and officials from the Chinese Ministry of Health.

"Inner Mongolia has taken the lead in interrupting the transmission channels of SARS patients in China," Yang Qing, head of the working group, said at the conclusion of an inspection tour.

Yang said the detailed tracking of the spread of SARS in Inner Mongolia had helped to contain the disease in a short time.

Johan Giesecke from the WHO also appreciated Inner Mongolia's SARS prevention work since the WHO had seen what it wanted to see and obtained what it needed from the region.

The 12-member group began the inspection in Inner Mongolia on June 17.

(Xinhua News Agency June 28, 2003)